#Sustainability20: The very best of our Reports and Podcast episodes in 2024
A round-up of our 20 most important stories published here on “Sustainability in the Air” 🎄
For our holiday round-up, we’re presenting our 20 most important stories published here on “Sustainability in the Air”. You can see previous editions of #Sustainability20 here. Happy holidays! 🎄
Podcast episodes
Professor Rob Miller, Director of the Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, shared his insights on the urgent need for accelerated action in sustainable aviation. As the head of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), Miller highlighted how collaboration and innovation are key to achieving net-zero goals.
We spoke with Marie Owens Thomsen, SVP Sustainability & Chief Economist at IATA, to learn how the organisation is integrating sustainability and economics to shape aviation’s future.
Anna Stukas, VP of Strategic Partnerships at 1PointFive, discussed how scaling direct air capture (DAC) technology could play a critical role in aviation’s net-zero ambitions. 1PointFive is a carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) company focused on reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Ed Mason, Founder & CEO of Jet Zero Australia, shared insights into the company’s ambitious projects to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a commercial scale.
We spoke with Billie Moore, Chief Executive at NZ Airports Association, about how New Zealand is tackling its unique challenges as an isolated nation while pursuing sustainable aviation.
Dr Florian Allroggen from MIT broke down the science behind contrails, their warming effect, and what can be done to mitigate this lesser-known climate issue.
Dan Rutherford from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) shared what’s changed in the fight for net-zero aviation since his last podcast appearance in 2022 and what’s still needed to make progress.
Eloa Guillotin, Co-Founder & CEO of Beyond Aero, gave us a glimpse into the startup’s bold plans to develop hydrogen-electric aircraft for private aviation.
We spoke with Bertrand Piccard, the explorer behind the Climate Impulse project, about setting a historic precedent by flying a hydrogen aircraft around the world non-stop in 9 days.
Andrew Chen from RMI talked about the organisation’s comprehensive approach to decarbonising aviation, including SAF, contrail management, and more. Founded in 1982 as Rocky Mountain Institute, RMI is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit that seeks to transform the global energy system to ensure a clean, zero-carbon future.
Grace Vihenda, Senior Manager of Innovation and Sustainability at Kenya Airways, shared how the airline is working to harness Africa’s abundant resources for SAF production despite infrastructure challenges.
Ricky Sandhu, Founder of Urban-Air Port, shared how the company’s vertiport technology is setting the stage for a new era of urban air mobility. Their proprietary Air One system is the world's first fully-operational and off-grid hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Matt Finch, UK Policy Manager at Transport & Environment (T&E), gave a frank perspective on why aviation needs more ambitious policies to address its environmental impact.
Elena Schmidt, Executive Director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), spoke about the journey of RSB in fostering sustainability, especially in the aviation and travel industries.
Reports
In this report, we delved into the potential of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to reshape aviation’s sustainability goals. We explored the challenges and opportunities this innovative approach offers – and why it might be the breakthrough the industry needs.
This report, created in partnership with the Sustainable Aviation Futures North America Congress, dives into the critical opportunities and hurdles facing the SAF industry in the region. It complements our earlier reports on SAF pathways for Europe and APAC.
Are climate technologies a distraction or a solution? In this report, we challenged the scepticism surrounding emerging technologies, arguing that these innovations hold the promise of a cleaner, better future for aviation.
Faced with growing environmental awareness and pressure from climate activists, how can aviation respond effectively? This report examines the road ahead, providing actionable guidance for an industry under scrutiny.
We surveyed 20 leading airlines, including Air France-KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa Group, ANA, and Southwest Airlines, to understand how carriers are addressing sustainability. The report highlights their strategies, challenges, and opportunities for 2024.
In this report, we analysed the fast-changing electric aviation market. From emerging startups to established leaders, we mapped the key players, explored urban air mobility opportunities, and examined challenges like battery innovation and infrastructure needs.
